Executive Functioning Skills

Returning veterans who are attending college face many challenges and stresses that most students do not. Evidence is beginning to mount that the level of transition support for student veterans can make a big difference in whether or not they graduate. But many colleges and universities are not prepared to help student veterans with learning challenges brought on by PTSD and other factors. Research indicates that executive function coaching may provide the solution.

Executive Function Coach and Trainer Erin Wilson recently related this story about one of her 17 year old students. He had called her on a Friday evening. It was late, she was tired, but took the call. He told her he was in despair, standing on Seattle’s Aurora Bridge, ready to jump.

Children with ADHD can be just as caring as other kids. Their lack of impulse control and inattentiveness around other people can make it appear as if they don’t care what others think, feel or say. There are a number of things you can do to help strengthen empathy in your ADHD child.

Kids (and adults) with ADHD often need something to help them feel settled so they can sustain their attention and focus. So-called fidget toys are a way to accomplish this. These are gadgets that activate different sensory areas without being too disruptive to others. Fidget toys come in many types.

The symptoms of adult ADHD – e.g., trouble focusing, difficulty prioritizing tasks, and lateness – can make work life challenging to say the least. That is why choosing or transitioning to the right career is doubly important if you have adult ADHD. A diagnosis of ADHD does not mean that your work life is doomed to being a constant struggle. You can identify the type of work that leverages your ADHD strengths so you can get the most out of your career.

When you have ADHD or other executive functioning challenges, you may feel restless, impulsive and have difficulty paying attention. That can make managing your time much harder. There are skills you can learn to help overcome these challenges and be more productive with your time.

Executive functions refer to cognitive processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of behavior to successfully attain chosen goals. We all use these executive functions to plan, organize and complete tasks. Problems with executive functioning can be seen at any age but tend to be increasingly apparent as children move through the early elementary grades. The demands of completing schoolwork can often trigger signs that there are difficulties in this area.

Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences An adverse childhood experience (ACE) describes a stressful or traumatic experience in a person’s life occurring before the age of 18 that the person remembers as an adult. They can include abuse, neglect and a … Read More

Virgin Founder and adventurer Sir Richard Branson has dyslexia and ADHD—but that has not stopped him from building a major record label, owning a large airline, sending tourists into space or building an underwater plane. Branson is living proof of the … Read More

Scientists are discovering the physiologic connections between adversity, stress and academic performance. Children living in poverty are particularly at risk. They often endure toxic stress from adverse experiences, such as exposure to violence, abuse, neglect, loss of a loved one … Read More

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College Success Guide

College is a critical time for students with ADHD. Simply striving to be organized and motivated isn’t the solution to college success. Finding new strategies that work with ADHD strengths is the key. ADHD and College Success includes tips and strategies you can start using today!

Parent Care Package

It’s not easy being the parent of a child who has ADHD. Helping your child learn to manage his own ADHD symptoms is a lifelong journey. AnADHD Parent Care Package explains how coaching works and provides tools to address common parenting issues that are more difficult for parents of ADHD teens to navigate.